Between 1996 and 1997, he underwent additional training on the Soyuz spacecraft and was awarded a "Soyuz Return Commander" certificate, qualifying him to command a three-person Soyuz crew during its return from space.

His ISS mission was designated Astrolab by the European Space Agency.[5]

Reiter has logged just over 350 days in space, the most by any non-American or non-Russian.

On 8 August 2007 Thomas Reiter was named a member of DLR's executive board.

On 17 March 2011 he was appointed ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations, responsible for all manned and unmanned mission operations. This includes the operation and exploitation of the European International Space Station elements, ESA's Autonomous Transfer Vehicle, the responsibility for the European Astronaut Centre, EAC, and ESA's unmanned missions and ground-based mission infrastructure.